Warning and lubricating device for hot journals



June 10, 1952 TOTH 2,599,672

WARNING AND LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR 1-101 JOURNALS Filed July 31, 1946 /M//////////z; ,NVENTOR 20 WP llz'ckael 0.722%

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L e P is" of' mOr''Ior le s s standard may be introduced into the container. This hole is adapted to be closed by plug 50. Vertically beneath the filling opening an opening is provided in the bottom wall 34 and a ferrule 52 is inserted through this opening and welded or otherwise attached to the bottom wall 34. The ferrule is provided with a passageway threaded to receive a tubular plug 54 notched as at 56 at its upper end and closed as at 60 by means of a suitable fusible material which will melt at a desired temperature sufficiently low to protect the journal. The upper wall of the container has spot welded or otherwise attached thereto a strap member 62 which is bent upwardly and then downwardly as at B4 to engage beneath the web of the compression member 4 of the truck. The strap is of sufiicient length to project toward the indicator end of the container and this projecting end is adapted to be folded upwardly and then backwardly as at 66 to overlap the upper or outer wall of the web or compression member 4. A small waterproof vent member 68 may be provided which admits air to the container thereby accommodating expansion and contraction and permitting ready discharge of the oil or lubricant from the container when the fusible plug 60 melts.

It will be seen from the preceding that a rectangular container has been provided which is a self-contained unit provided with its own attaching means, warning signal and discharge devices. This self-contained unit may be readily attached to the truck by inserting the same through truck opening 8 and pushing it outwardly at an angle until such time as the projecting ferrule 52 can drop into the hole 28 previously bored in the journal box top wall l8. With the box in this position the strap 62 can be bent upwardly and backwardly as at 65 to its final position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. In this position the unit, due to strap 62 and ferrule 52, can not move in any direction relative to the truck side frame. In case the axle, journal and brass l4 become over-heated the fusible material 60 will become liquid and permit the discharge of the oil or lubricant from the container directly into the journal box. As the oil or lubricant level drops the float 46 will also drop thereby raising the flag 40 tons position shown in Fig. 1, indicating to all persons that the journal box has beenover heated at some time and the oil has been fully discharged. Reconditioning of the unit is readily accomplished by removing the filler cap 55, after which the tubular plug 54 may be removed by means of a screw driver or special wrench, after which a new plug may be inserted and the container filled with oil or lubricant. Filling. of the container Will, of course, place the flag or telltale 40 in its full line position of Fig. 4 and after replacing the cap 50 the device is again in position to fully protect the journal. It will be seen that with such a device sufficient lubricant can be carried to take care of the majority of hot journals until the train reaches a terminal or scheduled stop. It will also be seen that it is merely a matter of minutes to repair the unit and replenish the oil supply, after which the train can proceed provided, of course, the inspection does not indicate -a badly damaged or scored journal.

While the self-contained unit has been described more or less in detail and is illustrated as applied to one or more good types of trucks, it isobvious that by slightly modifying the device it may be applied to other types of trucks without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a railway car truck frame having a journal box secured thereto and supported on an axle journal, of a self-contained signal and journal lubricating unit inserted as a unit into the truck frame above the journal box and adapted to be secured in the journal box and fully protected by the truck frame.

2. The combination with a railway car truck frame having a journal box secured thereto and supported on an axle journal, of a self-contained signal and journal lubricating unit secured within and fully protected by the frame above the journal box, said unit containing lubricant dischargeable under excessive temperature conditions of the journal into the journal box to thereby cool and lubricate said journal.

3. The combination with a railway car truck frame having a compression member connected to a journal box supported on an axle journal and having an opening in the compression member above the journal box, of a self-contained signal and journal lubricating unit inserted as a unit into position within and fully protected by the compression member above the journal box, and means connected to said unit and engaging an inner and outer surface of the compression member to retain said unit in position above the journal box.

4. The combination with a railway car truck frame having a compression member connected to a journal box supported on an axle journal and having an opening in the compression member above the journal box, of a self-contained signal and journal lubricating unit inserted as a unit into position within and protected by the compression member above the journal box,

means connected to said unit and engaging an inner and outer surface of the compression member to retain said unit in position above the journal box, and fusible plug means forming part of said unit and extending into the journal box to position the units and to be subject to the heat of the journal, said plug becoming fluid when the axle journal reaches a predetermined temperature to discharge lubricant into the journal box.

5. The combination with a railway car truck frame having a compression member connected to a journal box supported on an axle journal, of a self-contained signal and journal lubricating unit inserted as a unit into position within and protected by the compression member above the journal box, means connected to said unit and engaging an inner and outer surface of the compression member to retain said unit in position above the journal box, fusible plug means forming part of said unit and extendinginto the journal box to position the unit and to be subject to the heat of the .journal, said plug becoming fluid when the axle journal reaches a predetermined temperature to discharge lubricant into the journal box, and signal means forming part of said unit and operable upon discharge of lubricant to indicate loss of lubricant from the unit. 6. A self-contained signal and axle journal lubricating unit adapted to be connected to a car truck frame, said unit comprising a substantially closed container for lubricant, a fusible plug member extending through one side of the container, a. signal. operable by changes in level of lubricant in the container, and means fastened onsaid container and deformable to secure the unit to the truck frame.

7. A self-contained signal and axle journal lubricating unit adapted to be connected to a car truck frame. said unit comprising a substantially closed container for lubricant, a fusible plug member extending through one side of the container, a float in said container, a signal normally housed within a niche in said container, means extending through said container and connecting said signal and float, said means having pivotal connection to said container intermediate said signal and float whereby said signal will move out of said niche when the lubricant level falls in said container.

8. A self-contained signal and axle journal lubricating unit adapted to be connected to a car truck frame, said unit comprising a substantially closed container for lubricant, a fusible plug member extending through one side of the container, a signal operable by changes in level of lubricant in the container. and means fastened on said container to secure the unit to the truck frame, said means including said fusible plug REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 135,213 Evans Jan. 28, 1873 415,910 Hardwicke Nov. 26, 1889 1,047,902 Williams Dec. 17, 1912 1,155,932 Kessler Oct. 5, 1915 1,201,478 Link Oct. 17, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 71,870 Austria June 10, 1916 

